February 2008

The group is reconvening after the Christmas break with its first meeting scheduled for Thursday 21 February.

In addition to the resumption of Logan/LANARTA network meetings, there will be a meeting of social and public housing tenants to be held in the Beenleigh Area in early March to introduce Social and Community housing clients to the change in the Department’s eligibility requirements regarding revised asset testing.  

The group has received advice from the Department of Housing that the asset limit may be revised downwards to $60,000.

The Koongarra women’s shelter raised concerns about local government planning laws, which prevent them from building a security fence, compromising clients’ safety.

Interlink Housing have been using a “buddy system” to pair Indigenous and Burundi volunteers with Interlink workers to promote a better understanding of community housing processes and responsibilities.

The Woodridge Department of Housing is considering providing cross-cultural competency training for their staff in response to the growing number of CALD tenants in the area.  

Kingston East Neighbourhood Centre raised the possibility of arranging a breakfast meeting where workers and real estate agents the rental crisis and common challenges faced in sustaining tenancies. The concept was originally raised at an Interlink ‘Pathways to create housing’ meeting, where Interlink reported their success in working with Real Estate workers in sustaining tenancies of their clients. They were seeking ideas to thank RE offices for this support. Ann Langley suggested the program, which has been trialled successfully at Acacia Ridge TAAS.  

Families around Beenleigh (FAB) report that the Homelessness Early Intervention Service is an asset to the Beenleigh area and endorse expansion of the program into the Logan area.